


Haunting in Reverse

by kayliemalinza



Series: Haunting [3]
Category: Pirates of the Caribbean (Movies), Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006)
Genre: Gen, Ghosts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-06-18
Updated: 2007-06-18
Packaged: 2017-10-27 07:24:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 446
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/293170
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kayliemalinza/pseuds/kayliemalinza
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>An AU companion to <a href="">Haunting in Thirteen Parts</a>. What if the hurricane event had gone a little differently, and the positions in Haunting were reversed? Set when Norrington "nearly had you all off Tripoli."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Haunting in Reverse

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Haunting in Thirteen Parts](https://archiveofourown.org/works/292420) by [kayliemalinza](https://archiveofourown.org/users/kayliemalinza/pseuds/kayliemalinza). 



Jack had seen a man in Tortuga who screamed at corners. The scuttlebutt was that he'd gone mad after killing his brother, and saw the deceased sibling everywhere. Jack didn't know if it was madness or merely supernatural, but the end effect was much the same, wasn't it? Jack saw the man huddled in the pig pen, sobbing entreaties to the darkest corner. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" he cried. "I swear upon Mum and all our sisters I'd change it if I had the chance. Why can't you forgive me? Speak, speak, damn you! Curse your staring eyes!"

Jack had let the man be, deciding to find another place to sleep. He had always known that murder would out.

* * * 

The hurricane nearly dashed them to pieces, but the Dauntless was no longer breaking the waves behind them in lightning flashes, and Pearl had come through whole. All men were accounted for.

Jack stumbled through the door of his cabin, dripping salt-water from his clothes and hair, muscles slipping tiredly beneath his skin. The skies were still dark, and the lanterns had been doused for fear of adding fire to the threats of wind, rain and Navy. But some light filtered through the ports and Jack saw a faint glimmer, something in the corner—

He drew his pistol and cocked it.

"Well hello there, Commodore," he said, creeping closer. "That's a wonderful trick you did of appearing in my cabin—Did you swim those monstrous waves? Or maybe you leapt like a frog from your deck to mine. Your Naval harridan was certainly following close enough to allow it."

The commodore did not answer; he merely looked at Jack (if such a glare could be called _mere_ ), wig bedraggled and slipping down, his brocade sadly sodden. His fancy coat was streaming seawater on the carpet.

Jack evinced a smile. "But now that you are on my ship, good Commodore, never minding how you got here, I offer you my hospitality. Some food and drink, a dry set of clothes. A lovely nap in my brig. I'm afraid the offer stands for you alone, however, and no fine Marines you may have brought with you." Jack had hoped to suss the commodore's plan from his reaction, but the man's expression did not change; he did not speak. The Pearl heaved a little on the restless waves, and the murky streak of light fell across his face and body, curving softly on the oddly swollen belly, making the green stare glow.

It suddenly occurred to Jack that he could see the grain of the bulkhead behind the commodore, and that the carpet beneath him was dry.

"Oh," he said.


End file.
